M.B.C. School of Karate

About Us

Below is a brief bio of our instructors at the M.B.C. School of Karate. Also, a brief history of our lineage, Isshin-ryu Karate and the aspects that make it an unique system.

Instructors:

Master Harold Nuchols is the founder and Head Instructor of the M.B.C. School of Karate. He holds the rank of Hachi-dan (8th degree black belt) in Isshin-ryu Karate and is a third generation Isshin-ryu practitioner. He started in Isshin-ryu Karate in 1961 under Master Harold Long who was a direct student of Tatsuo Shimabuku, the founder of the system. Master Nuchols received his Sho-dan (1st degree black belt) from Master Harold Long in 1962 and was one of the first to do so in Knoxville TN. Master Harold Nuchols has continually trained in Isshin-ryu Karate for over 50 years.

Stephen Nuchols is an instructor at the M.B.C. School of Karate and holds the rank of Yon-dan (4th degree) in Isshin-ryu Karate. He also holds the rank of Ni-dan (2nd degree) in Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu and is an instructor at the Kawabe-kai in Alcoa TN. He is currently studying Deprisa Kali a Filipino martial art. He has over 20 years martial arts experience.

Andy Welshan is an instructor at the M.B.C. School of Karate and holds the rank of Yon-dan (4th degree) in Isshin-ryu Karate. He also holds the rank of San-dan (3rd degree) in Aikido and is an instructor at the Knoxville Aikido dojo in Knoxville TN. He has over 27 years martial arts experience.

John Williamson is an instructor at the M.B.C. School of Karate and holds the rank of Sho-dan (1st degree) in Isshin-ryu Karate. He has over 6 years martial arts experience.

History/Lineage

Tatsuo Shimabuku

Isshin-ryu Karate is considered a relative modern and eclectic martial art. It was officially developed by Tatsuo Shimabuku in 1954. The name Isshin-ryu means “One heart way”. Isshin-ryu is a combination of aspects of two well known Okinawan Karate styles; Goju-ryu and Shorin-ryu.

Shimabuku started his Karate training at the age of eight under his Uncle Irshu Matsumora in the style of Shuriti. Sometime around 1920 Shimabuku began to study under the well-known Chotoku Kyan (1870-1945) in the style of Shobayashi Shorin-ryu. Chotoku Kyan is considered to be Tatsuo’s first formal instructor. Shorin-ryu is a soft style, with open blocks, fast kicks, punches and redirection. Tatsuo took the katas Seisan, Naihanchin, Wansu, Chinto, Kusanku from Shorin-ryu and incorporated them into his own style of Isshin-ryu. Shimabuku studied with Chotoku Kyan until Kyan’s death in 1945.

After Kyan’s death Tatsuo began to study under the famous Chojun Miyagi (1888-1953) the founder of Goju-ryu Karate. Later, Shimabuku also incorporated two katas from Goju-ryu, Seiuchin and Sanchininto his style of Isshin-ryu.

Tatsuo is also known to have studied under the controversial Choki Motobu (1871-1944). Motobu was well renowned for his fighting ability. He stressed to Shimabuku that natural stances were the key to proper movement and balance, feet should only be shoulder width apart. He also stressed that in combat there is no use for flashy movements or complex techniques.

After studying Karate for many years, Shimabuku took what he considered the most important and efficient aspects of both styles and used them to develop a new system which he called Isshin-ryu Karate, “One Heart Way”.

Many of the aspects of Isshin-ryu are unique when compared to other Okinawan and Japanese Karate styles, and are easier for members of western culture to adapt to.

Fast snapping punches are used and the elbow is never locked. Also, the placement of the thumb on top of the fist is unique to Isshin-ryu Karate. This placement strengthens the wrist and aligns the bones of the arm.

Blocks in Isshin-ryu use the muscle of the forearm to absorb blows, instead of directly on the bone as used in many other Karate styles.

Snapping kicks are used and not thrown above the waist.

Stances used are upright and a more natural way of standing.

Harold Long

In the mid 1950s while in the Marine Corps and stationed on Okinawa, Harold Long started studying Isshin-ryu Karate under Tatsuo Shimabuku. Mr. Long went on to become one of Shimabuku’s top American students and helped promote the spread of Isshin-ryu in the United States. After returning to the U.S. Mr. Long opened his first dojo in Twenty-nine Palms, California where he began to teach Isshin-ryu in his back yard. After his discharge from the Marine Corps in July 1959, Mr. Long returned to his home in East Tennessee and settled in Knoxville; where he opened another Isshin-ryu dojo in the Marine Reserve Training Center. In 1963 he was one of the instructors that developed the rules for tournaments at the first World Karate Tournament in Chicago, Illinois. In 1974 he returned to Okinawa to visit and train with Shimabuku, where he asked and received permission to start a new Isshin-ryu Karate association, which became the International Isshin-ryu Karate Association.

In 1995, Master Long retired from teaching and turned over operation of his Harold Long School of Karate to a group of core instructors/students which was renamed the Knoxville Isshin-ryu Karate Club.

Master Long passed away on October 12, 1998 from terminal cancer.

Harold Nuchols

In June 1961, Mr. Nuchols read an article in the Sunday issue of the Knoxville News Sentential about Isshin-ryu Karate and Master Harold Long’s classes at the Marine Reserve Training Center on Alcoa Hwy. After joining classes he excelled at Isshin-ryu Karate and was promoted to Sho-dan (1st degree) by Master Harold Long in 1962. In 1963, Mr. Nuchols competed in the first World Karate Tournament in Chicago, Illinois. He enlisted and served in the United States Army from 1963-65 and severed a tour of duty in Vietnam. After returning to the U.S he continued his Karate training under Master Harold Long and Master Allen Wheeler.

In 1980, he founded the Isshin-ryu Karate Club in Maryville TN and taught at that location until he closed the school in 1993. He then assisted Master Long full time in teaching at the Harold Long School of Karate in South Knoxville until it closed in 1995. Mr. Nuchols was one of the instructor/students that Master Long turned the school over to. Mr. Nuchols was a confounder of the Knoxville Isshin-ryu Karate Club and taught there until 1999, when the cofounders decided to close the school. Mr. Nuchols continued his Isshin-ryu training on his own and by visiting other schools. In 2001, Mr. Nuchols was inducted into the World Karate Union Hall of Fame. In 2005, Mr. Nuchols started the M.B.C. School of Karate. In June 2011, Mr. Nuchols celebrated his 50th anniversary in Isshin-ryu Karate.